Latch mechanism for doublecovered containers



June 8, 1954 J, p- THON LATCH MECHANISM FOR DOUBLE-COVERED CONTAINERSFiled July 27. 1953 Patented June 8, 1954 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICELATCH MECHANISM FOR DOUBLE- COVERED CONTAINERS Claims.

This invention relates to a double-covered container and moreparticularly to a latch mechanism therefor.

It is an important object of the invention to provide a novel and simplelatch mechanism for .a container or box having open and opposed ends anda hingedly mounted cover for each of said open ends.

Another object of the invention is to provide means to prevent thecontents of a double-covered box from becoming accidently spilled whenone of said covers is used as the bottom of the box.

More specifically, it is on object of the invention to provide a latchdevice having elicient triple function in maintaining both covers ci adouble-covered box in locked condition, maintaining one cover as thebottom of the container in locked condition with the other in releasablycontained condition, and finally maintainingr the other cover as thebottom thereof in locked condition and the first mentioned cover inreleasably retained condition.

It is still another object to provide a latch device of the classdescribed in which a single manually engageable element will perform theabove noted multiple functions.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fullyappear from the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to similarparts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a container bearing my double latchingdevice, the device being set for releasably opening the top coverthereof; Y

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a container with the double latch devicein medial or completely locked position;

Fig. 3 is a segmented view in vertical enlarged section of the box andlatching device taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged horizontal section of the latchmechanism taken on the line of Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the container or boxwhich is adapted for use with my invention is an open-ended structurehaving a iront wall i0, a rear walll i, side walls I2, a iirst cover I3and a second cover I4. The covers i3 and Il! are hingedly mounted at I5and if.; respectively to the rear wall Il as shown in Fig. 3. rhe frontedges or margins I'I and IS on the covers I3 and M respectivelytherefore come into abutment with edges I9 and 28 as shown in Figs. 1and 3. The covers I3 and lli thus simulate to some extent the covers ofa book, the forward edges being movable in converging direction to closethe ends of the container. The container may be horizontally disposed asshown in Fig. 1 or may take the form of a vertical container such as aling box (not shown). Furthermore, the internal structure of the box orcontainer may have special structure such as the double compartmentedbox described in my copending application Serial Number 243,535 filedAugust 24, 1951.

More particularly, my invention constitutes a double latching device foropen-ended containers of the class described, the latching device beingmountable upon the box between the forward converging edges 0f thecovers to eiiect a simultaneous locking or a selective locking of onecover and releasable retention of the other.

A retaining and locking member such as resilient latch 2| is secured tothe cover I3 at the marginal edge Il as shown in Fig. 1. Similarly,another retaining and locking member 22 is secured in complementaryrelation to the marginal edge I8 of the cover I4. Each of the resilientlatches has an attaching area 23 which may be secured by suitable meanssuch as rivets 2d to their respective covers. The latch 2! has anoutwardly and downwardly extending portion 25 while the resilient latch22 has an upstanding and outwardly oiset portion 26 as shown in Fig. 3.Each of the depending and upstanding portions 25 and 26 in turn has anouter surface 29 with a raised oiset or boss 28, and each has an innersurface 2'! with a raised oiiset or boss it extending inwardlytherefrom.

Adapted to cooperate with the foregoing retaining and locking members 2|and 22 is a manually operable member 3l as shown in Fig. 1. Manuallyoperable member 3l may comprise a base 32 mounted transversely of thecovers It and I4 on the front of the box or container iii and equippedwith outstanding flanges or detents 33 for cooperation with the latch 2land 3d for cooperation with latch 22 as shown in detail in Fig. 3. rihebase 32 further may be equipped with outwardly spaced fiange members 35which form a track or guideway for a reciprocable shield 3%. The shield3E in turn may have bent over side edges il which are adapted to encasethe tracks or guideways 35 and render the shield slidable in an upwfardand downward direction as shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3. The reciprocableshield 3B' has indented areas 3'I which are concavely formed in thesurface 38 which is adapted to face towards the outer surface of frontwall l0. The indentations are so formed as to cooperate resiliently withthe raised offsets or bosses 28 formed at the outer surface of theresilient latch inembers 2l and 22. While the inner raised oisets 353 ofthe latch members 2i and 22 are adapted to resiliently engage theoutstanding detent porions 33 and 34.

In the use and operation of my double latching device, the resilientlatch members 2l and 2s are secured to the marginal edges Vi and i3 ofthe covers i3 and lli in a box or container of the class described. Themanual cooperating element 3i is similarly secured to the front face ilof the box or container with the detent portions 33 and 3s in positionto be engaged by the inner raised osets or bosses 3i! on theirrespective latch meinbers 2| and 22. When thus engaged, both of thecovers i3 and ill are closed as shown in Figs. 2 and` 3. Thereciprocable shield is then slidably adjusted on the track or guideway35 so that outer indentaticns 3? will engage the raised ofisets orbosses 28 formed at the outer surface 2 of latch members 2i and 22. Thisis the medial or fully locked position of the box as shown in Fig. 3.Neither of the covers i3 or i4 may be opened when the shield 36 is insuch medial position.

Now, however, when it is desired to open one side of the box, as forexample with cover I3 constituting the top of the box, the reciprocableshield 33 is manually lowered to the position shown in Fig. l. Itis tobe noted that where the indentations 3'1 are formed by stamping in sheetmaterial, a corresponding raised portion 3d is formed at the outersurface 4Q oi the shield 3S and conveniently creates a ribbing effectwhich maintains good contact between the thumb oi a user and the shieldduring reciprocation.

With the shield 3G in the lowermost position as shown in Fig. 1, theraised odset portion 23 or" latch 2i becomes disengaged while the raisedoffset 28 of latch 22 is maintained in engagement with anotherindentation 3l at the inner surface of the shield 35. Thus, theresilient latch 22 remains locked together with its cover ill whilecover I3 becomes releasably engaged through its inwardly facing offsetor boss means 3i). Since the latches 2i and are resilient in nature, theoffset portions will slide over the detent 33 when slight pressure isapplied to the marginal edge il of cover i3.

Where it is desired to gain access to the opposite side of. the boxthrough cover ill, the cover I3 is again closed, the reciprocable shield3S slid through its medial full locking positionto engagement with theupper latch 2l of Fig. 1 and to expose the lower resilient latch E2 forsimilarreleasable opening. The box is then inverted and pressure appliedto the marginal edge i8 of cover lf3 to eiect opening of the other endof the box. With the reciprocable shield 3E in one of its threeoperative positions it will be observed that it is impossible to openboth covers at one time. Since one oi the indentations 3l' will be soengaged with the oiset 28 o at least one or the latches as to render theresilient latch incapable of springing outwardly over the respectivedetent 33 fixed to the face iii of the box.

It may thu-s be seen that l2 have devised an extremely simple and usefullatch mechanism lfor double compartinented boxes which will prevent thesimultaneous opening of both sides of a box lili thus preventing theaccidental spilling of the contents of one side while the other is beingused.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made inthe form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts withoutdeparting irom the scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

l. Latch mechanism for a box having opposed covers swingableconvergently to closed position in Contact with the edges oi a irontwall of said box, said mechanism comprising a resilient latch membersecurable to each of said covers and adapted to closely overlie aportion oi said front wall, detent means securable to said front wallfor releasably retaining both of said resilient latch members and theirrespective covers in closed position, and a unitary locking meansoverlying said detent means whereby to cooperatively lock both of saidlatch members and their respective covers and slidable to uncover one ofsaid latch members and condition its associated cover for opening whilemaintaining the other latch niember its associated cover in lockedcondition.

2. A double latching device for an open-ended container of the typehaving a front wall, a rear wall, and opposed covers hinged at the rearor the container and swingable convergently toward each other at thefront of the container to close seid open ends, said device comprising apair or retaining and locking members for resiliently securingrespectively to the forward edges of said covers and for extendinglaterally therefrom to overlie the front of said box when in closedposition, the resilient members each having an offset surface, a pair ofdetents for securing at the front of the box and adapted to berespectively engaged in sliding contact by the resilient inembers and toreleasably hold each cover in closed position with said oise-t inengagement with the datent, and means reciprocably mountable at a medialposition in locking engagement with both of said resilient members andmot ble laterally with respect to said covers to a position closer toone of said covers to maintain the resilient meinber of said one coverin locked condition while simultaneously conditioning the other memberfor releasably opening said other cover.

3. A double latching device for an open-ende. container of the typehaving a front wall, a rear Wall, and opposed covers hinged at the rearof the container and swingable convergently toward each other at thefront of the container to close said open ends, said device comprising apair of retaining and locking members for resiliently securingrespectively to the forward edges of said covers and for extendinglaterally therefrom to overlie the front of sai-d box when in closedposition, said resilient members each having an odset surface, a pair ofdetente secnrable at the front of the 'cox and adapted to berespectively engaged in sliding contact by the resilient meinbers and toreleasably hold each cover in closed position with said odset inengagement with the detent and a shield reciprocably mountable at thefront of the box and movable laterally from a medial position inoverlying locking engagement with both of said resilient members to aposition closer to one of said covers to maintain the resilient memberof said one cover in locked cond'- tion while simultaneouslyconditioning said other member for releasably opening the other cover.

The combination with an open-ended box having a front wall, a rear wall,opposed covers hinged at the rear of the container and swingableconvergently toward each other at the front of the box to close saidopen ends, of a pair of resilient latch members secured respectively tothe forward edges of said covers substantially normal thereto and inclose clearance with the front of said box when in closed position, saidresilient latch members each having an offset, a pair of detents securedin outstanding relation with the front of the box and adapted to berespectively engaged in sliding contact by the resilient latch membersand to releasably hold each cover in closed position with said offset inengagement with the detent, and locking means reciprocably mounted atthe front of the box in a medial position in overlying lockingengagement with both of said resilient latch members to a positioncloser to one of said covers to maintain the resilient latch member ofsaid one cover in locked condition while simultaneously conditioningsaid other member for relearably opening the other cover.

5. A latching mechanism for an open-ended box havingr opposed coversswingably mounted at a rear Wall of the box and convergently swingableat a forward Wall of the box to close said ends, said mechanismcomprising a pair of at retaining and locking members resilientlysecurable respectively to the forward margins of said covers foroverlying closely a portion of the front of said box when in closedposition, said flat resilient members each having a boss formed inwardlytowards the front of the box and another boss, a pair of detentssecurable to the front of the box and adapted to be respectively engagedin sliding contact by the resilient members and to releasably hold eachcover in closed position with said inward boss in engagement with adetent, and means reciprocably mountable at the front of the box andmovable laterally from a medial position in overlying retention withsaid outwardly extending bosses to lock both of said resilient membersto a position closer to one of said covers and in releasably retainedrelation with the resilient member of said one cover to maintain it inlocked condition while simultaneously disengaging the outwardlyextending boss of said other member to condition the other cover forreleasable opening.

No references cited.

